A rich visual history of Architectural Digest, published for the magazine’s 100th anniversary
Architectural Digest at 100 celebrates the best from the pages of the international design authority. The editors have delved into the archives and culled years of rich material covering a range of subjects. Ranging freely between present and past, the book features the personal spaces of dozens of private celebrities like Barack and Michelle Obama, David Bowie, Truman Capote, David Hockney, Michael Kors, and Diana Vreeland, and includes the work of top designers and architects like Frank Gehry, David Hicks, India Mahdavi, Peter Marino, John Fowler, Renzo Mongiardino, Oscar Niemeyer, Axel Vervoordt, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Elsie de Wolfe. Also included are stunning images from the magazine’s history by photographers such as Bill Cunningham, Horst P. Horst, Simon Upton, Francois Dischinger, Francois Halard, Julius Shulman, and Oberto Gili.
This is a magical vortex that has allowed me to travel instantly, effortlessly and safely to extraordinary homes around the world. During my time of self-quarantine, this was exactly what I needed.
Just a reprint of a single picture from each property. Focuse on celebrities who don’t always have interesting views to offer on architecture/interior design. Much more interesting and informative to watch their Youtube videos.
I had so much fun paging through this book, I went to the library after reading it and asked them to ask other libraries for more old architectural digest. Honestly a lot of the houses are hideously tasteless displays of wealth but there was also some really cool and comfortable looking spaces and I wrote down the designers and architects whose stuff I liked so I can go look up more of their work.
A walk down a century’s worth of style evolution, thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented.
Impressive array of aesthetics and tastes. From harmonic to dramatic, classic to eccentric, and provocative to stirring, but all equally thoughtful and unique in their visions. Many modern styles or furniture pieces, I came to appreciate after reading this book, have their roots and place in a far richer art history.
The homes featured reflect not only the wide array of creative expression (and combinations!) in the world but also how societal tastes, lifestyle preferences, and spatial priorities have evolved over time. Whereas an impressive dining room was once a focal point for guest entertainment, these days it may be a blended indoor/outdoor sitting room or a featured island table in the kitchen. What was beautiful once may resonate in a classical sense but might not meet modern practicalities.
The book serves as a witness to the evolution of design, and as an inspirational archive where new ideas can be based upon or grown out of. The unique personalities and minds that drove each project/home development and design also remind me of the many possibilities of life itself, and the life choices/lifestyles out there.
This book met my expectations when paying ~$100 for a book from the Architectural Digest brand. You can get an idea of what spaces are included from the samples and other AD social media posts. The globally featured spaces have a wide range of design tastes, mix of traditional/contemporary/minimalism, and color palettes.
I will add a tip: this AD 100 book is very similar to the cheaper AD book of "The Most Beautiful Rooms in the World". In fact, some of the content is the same.
Beautiful book. So many homes photographed over the last 100 years. It was fun looking at the older photos to see how much design has changed over the decades. Loved quite a bit of the French velvet furniture displayed in homes located in Europe. It was also fun to see a short glimpse of celerity homes and how they acquired or updated the homes.
These people have built buildings that are all but impossible to read a book in. Even when there are books, it feels like Gatsby's library--full of books someone was paid to buy and abandoned rather than read.
The hardcover version of this book is maybe the heaviest book I've ever borrowed from the library.
I’m glad that I just borrowed this from KU as it really didn’t merit a spot on my already full bookcases. I liked about a quarter of the content but could have done without the celebrity content or the really pretentious stuff. Just my opinion.
My favorites Bart Prince, 1990 Butterfly House, 2018 Michael Bay, LA 2015 Daniel Romualdez, Ibiza 2017 Michele S Smith, Rancho Mirage 2015 Pierre Yovanovitch, Brussels 2018 Rothschild, Rio de Janeiro 2011 Studioilse, Stockholm 2019 Olson Kundig, Washington 2015 Ralph Lauren, Montego Bay 2007 Villa Fiorentina, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, 1999